''Dragonheart'' is a

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

novel by

Todd McCaffrey Todd J. McCaffrey (born 27 April 1956 as Todd Johnson) is an Irish American author of science fiction best known for continuing the ''Dragonriders of Pern'' series in collaboration with his mother Anne McCaffrey. Life Todd Johnson was born 27 Apr ...

in the ''

Dragonriders of Pern ''Dragonriders of Pern'' is a science fantasy series written primarily by American author Anne McCaffrey, who initiated it in 1967. Beginning in 2003, her middle child Todd McCaffrey has written Pern novels, both solo and jointly with Anne. ...

'' series that his mother

Anne McCaffrey Anne Inez McCaffrey (1 April 1926 – 21 November 2011) was an American-Irish writer known for the ''Dragonriders of Pern'' science fiction series. She was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for fiction (Best Novella, ''Weyr Search'', 19 ...

initiated in 1967. Published by

Del Rey Books Del Rey Books is a branch of Ballantine Books, which is owned by Random House and, in turn, by Penguin Random House. It is a separate imprint established in 1977 under the editorship of author Lester del Rey and his wife Judy-Lynn del Rey. It ...

in 2008, it was the second for Todd as sole author and the twenty-second in the series.. Retrieved 9 October 2011. Written after his first book, ''

Dragonsblood ''Dragonsblood'' is a science fiction novel by Todd McCaffrey in the ''Dragonriders of Pern'' series that his mother Anne McCaffrey initiated in 1967. Published in 2005, this was the first with Todd as sole author and the nineteenth in the ser ...

'', it is a concurrent-time book as opposed to a prequel or sequel. The frame story of ''Dragonheart'' takes place in a few days of winter 508 AL (years After Landing on Pern), weeks after the beginning of the Third Pass and its attendant Threadfall.

Synopsis

Pern ''Dragonriders of Pern'' is a science fantasy series written primarily by American author Anne McCaffrey, who initiated it in 1967. Beginning in 2003, her middle child Todd McCaffrey has written Pern novels, both solo and jointly with Anne. T ...

is still trying to recover from a deadly plague that devastated the holders and

craftsmen Craftsman may refer to: A profession *Artisan, a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative * Master craftsman, an artisan who has achieved such a standard that he may establish his own workshop and take ...

, not even 15 turns (years) before. Although the dragonsriders and weyrfolk were spared from the devastation of that plague, they are about to be tested with a deadly illness that afflicts the dragons.

Fiona Fiona is a feminine given name. The name is associated with the Gaelic traditions of Ireland and Scotland (through the poetry of James Macpherson), but has also become popular in England.. It can be considered either a Latinisation of names, Lati ...

of Fort Weyr, the only surviving child of Lord Holder Bemin of Fort Hold, is thrust into this situation when she accidentally impresses

Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

Talenth. As first

fire-lizards ''Dragonriders of Pern'' is a science fantasy series written primarily by American author Anne McCaffrey, who initiated it in 1967. Beginning in 2003, her middle child Todd McCaffrey has written Pern novels, both solo and jointly with Anne. T ...

, and then

dragons A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...

, fall prey to the mysterious illness, Fiona and all of

must face the possibility of no dragons being left to fight thread as it begins to fall once more. The number of casualties mount as both the illness and thread take

and their riders. In an attempt to save the Weyrs, Fiona and a mysterious rider lead the injured and weyrlings back in time.

Notes

References

External links

2008 novels 2008 fantasy novels 2008 science fiction novels Dragonriders of Pern books Novels by Todd McCaffrey Del Rey books {{2000s-fantasy-novel-stub